This invention relates generally to the field of outdoor grills and barbecue units.
More specifically, this invention is directed to a barbecue unit capable of accelerated ignition and burn time of charcoal, wood chip, or similar fuel, said accelerated ignition system comprised of an ignition box or firebox, heating element, plurality of fuel baskets, basket transfer tool, high-pressure forced air supply device, automatic sequenced timer, and ignition air diverter. This invention is further capable of supporting fuel baskets in a plurality of configurations such that heat can be applied directly or indirectly in the cooking of the food. In addition, the barbecue unit of the present invention provides a waste removal system for clean up of the unit after cooking, said waste removal system capable of processing and disposing of ash, grease, food, and other waste left in the unit after the cooking process is completed.
In recent times, many improvements have been made to barbecue grills. Gas barbecue grills provide faster cooking time and steady temperature control; however, they cannot provide the charcoal or wood flavor that many people prefer and associate with barbecued food. Different mechanisms have been utilized to supply forced air into existing charcoal barbecue units to control temperature, but none of these inventions have included the features needed for efficient charcoal or wood barbecue cooking, namely accelerated ignition and adequate air supply directed toward the fuel. Charcoal and wood fuels are useful for slow-burn qualities because they maintain a high temperature with efficiency of fuel for a lengthy time, but only after said fuel has been burning for a significantly long ignition time. This invention answers the dilemma of the time delay required to take advantage of the slow-burn qualities of said fuel by providing an ignition system that heats the charcoal to flash point with continued air induction being diverted beneath the coals to accelerate the burn time after ignition.
The accelerated ignition system of the present invention consists of a heating element in combination with an air blower. Said heating element may be electrical coils or a propane or natural gas burner. Said air blower consists of a device that supplies forced air at a high volume and pressure to shorten the time required to elevate the temperature of the fuel to a degree suitable for cooking. Ignition is effected inside an ignition box or firebox contained within the barbecue unit. The charcoal or wood fuel is held in baskets in the ignition box, which baskets are transferable after ignition by use of a tool for picking them up and moving them to a plurality of basket support racks. Said racks are sized and positioned so that the baskets can be placed for indirect and direct cooking at the preference of the barbecue operator.
Additionally, the present invention incorporates a waste disposal unit for cleanup functions, which disposal unit is integrated into the unit to be easily and immediately accessible for cleaning the unit and to be operable with a minimal amount of labor on the part of the operator. Said waste disposal unit consisting of a garbage disposal and a wet and dry vacuum for cleaning the unit without having to remove or disassemble the lower part of the barbecue shell where waste tends to accumulate during the cooking process. The waste disposal unit is further designed so as to be integrated into the design of the present invention as a whole, maintaining the integrity of the design for marketability and manufacturing purposes.
The present invention is operable as portrayed, but it is understood that it will most usually be located on a stand. Many types of stands are known in the prior art. Stands may be rigid, such as often is encountered in built-in grills: table tops, countertops, and the like, generally with fire-resistant surfaces such as tile or other ceramic or synthetic base. Alternatively stands may be freestanding, as in carts and metal stands. Such stands often have wheels, imparting portability to the grill.
The present invention is envisioned to work in concert with a variety of stands, both freestanding and built-ins, but no stand is predetermined for the present invention. Often stands are custom designed for each customer, and thus cannot be anticipated. Nevertheless, the present invention is designed to work with all types of stands that are designed for conventional barbecue grills. The integrated waste disposal unit of the present invention improves the capability of the operator to clean and maintain the unit in any kind of stand, whether an in-built counter or a portable wheeled base, by making removable the debris that tends to accumulate in the lower interior by a means that is operable from the exterior without having to disassemble the shell of the unit.